194 Scientific Intelligence. — Zoology. 



dant in Sutherlandshire, generally on the tops of the low shoulders of the 

 mountams. Vaccinmm uligifiosum, many of the mountains in Sutherland- 

 shire. Epipactis latifolia^ on limestone rocks in Assynt, and at Keoldale, 

 parish of Durness, on the north sea. In the last place very abundant, 

 though no station so far north in Scotland is quoted. At this place Drt/as 

 octopetala^ Thalictrum alpinum^ Primula scotica^ and Glauoe maritima^ growing 

 in contact, form a group which can be seen no where else in Britain. Pyrm 

 Aria, limestone rocks, Assynt ; Glencoe. Plialaris arundinacea, var. colorata. 

 Island of Handa, oiF Scourie, west coast of Sutherlandshire. Arabis hispida^ 

 in abundance on several of the mountains in Sutherland, always in per- 

 fectly dry stations, and generally among broken quartz. On Benhope 

 alone, in micaceous soil, and there only hairy ; every where else quite 

 smooth, and on Ben Hope every specimen observed was hairy. Eleocharis 

 multicaulis, pools between the head of Loch Inchard and Arcle, abundant. 

 Scilla verna^ in profusion at Far-out-Head, and on a knoll behind the 

 manse at Farr ; in both situations growing in dry peat-turf, mixed with 

 sharp white sand. Primula scotica, profuse in many places along the north 

 coast. Pyrethrum mariiimum, abundant on sea-cliffs at Far-out-Head, and 

 behind the manse of Farr. Potentilla alpestris, Ben Hope. Astragalus ura- 

 lensis, abundant on sand-hills behind the manse of Farr. Hieracium uni' 

 bellatum, rocky knoll behind the manse of Farr. Asplenium marinum, sea- 

 cliffs behmd the church of Farr. Juncus arcticus, cliffs behind the church 

 of Farr, and in several places in the neighbourhood of Cape Wrath and 

 Oldshore. Sagina maritima, ruined castle on the cliff behind the manse of 

 Farr. 

 It is not long since the Senecio tenuifolius was ascertained to be a Scotch plant, 

 growing at Woodhall, near Airdrie ; Dr Graham has lately received speci- 

 mens from Mr Baird, who has found it abundantly in the parishes of 

 Lady Kirk and Swinton, particularly on the farm of Little Swinton. — K. G* 



ZOOLOGY. 



23. On the tendency of Matter to become Organized. — We 

 noticed, on former occasions, M. Bory de St Vincent's obser- 

 vations on those ambiguous beings, which, during a part of 

 their hfe, are collected into filaments, whose colour and gene- 

 ral aspect are those of vegetables, and which, at certain pe- 

 riods, separate and assume the voluntary motion of animals. 

 M. Gaillon, an enlightened observer, the author of an inte- 

 resting memoir on the cause of the green colour in oysters, 

 has discovered that it is produced by the Conferva comoides. 

 He has seen the greenish corpuscules, which form its axis, be- 

 come detached, advance with more or less rapidity, change place, 

 and, in short, act in all respects like enchylides and cyclidia. 

 Taking entire filaments, he forced these minute beings to sepa- 

 rate before the time ; and, in this case also, they manifested the 

 same voluntary movements. Their propensity to associate is so 

 great, that, whenever the young can do so, they arrange them- 

 selves, one after another, in a single line ; and, when in this po- 

 sition, M. Gaillon thought he observed them to exude from 



